Author: OMN AI

The EU’s top court adviser has said billions of euros were wrongly released to Hungary. Tamara Ćapeta, advocate general at the European Court of Justice, argued that the European Commission should not have unfrozen about €10bn in funds. The commission suspended payments in 2022 over concerns about corruption and judicial independence under Prime Minister Viktor Orbán. In 2023, it ruled that Hungary had met reform conditions and allowed the money to flow. The European Parliament challenged that decision, claiming serious legal errors. Ćapeta said the commission failed to properly assess whether judicial reforms were fully implemented. She added that EU…

US and European defence leaders signaled this week that NATO must evolve, with Europe taking a larger role in its own defence. While both sides agree change is needed, their motivations differ: the US seeks to focus on other global regions, while Europeans are cautious about relying too heavily on an unpredictable American administration. US Under Secretary of War Eldridge Colby called the vision “NATO 3.0,” urging European allies to assume primary responsibility for conventional defence. “Europe should field the preponderance of the forces required to deter, and if necessary, defeat conventional aggression in Europe,” he said. For years, the…

Tight Vote Highlights Congressional Divisions The US House of Representatives voted to overturn President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canadian goods. Lawmakers approved the resolution with 219 votes in favor and 211 votes against. Six Republican lawmakers joined Democrats to support the measure. The vote remains largely symbolic because the US Senate must approve it and Trump must sign it. Trump is very unlikely to approve the measure if it reaches his desk. Trump Raised Tariffs After Re-Election Donald Trump imposed several tariffs on Canada after his re-election. He recently threatened a 100% import tax in response to Canada’s proposed trade…

Aerobic exercise such as running, swimming or dancing can serve as a frontline treatment for mild depression and anxiety, researchers say. A large analysis of 63 reviews covering nearly 80,000 people found that physical activity significantly reduced symptoms, especially in young adults and new mothers. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, showed that heart-rate-raising aerobic exercise had the strongest impact on depression. Resistance training and yoga also helped, though to a lesser degree. Group or supervised activities produced greater benefits, suggesting that social interaction enhances the mental health effects. Neil Munro of James Cook University said…

A peaceful community in northern British Columbia was shaken on Tuesday when a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School left at least nine people dead. The suspected shooter was also found dead, and several others were injured in one of Canada’s deadliest school attacks in decades. Multiple Victims Found at School and Nearby Home Authorities reported six people were killed inside the school, while another victim died en route to the hospital. The suspected shooter was discovered at the scene with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Two additional victims were later found at a residence in Tumbler Ridge…

Regulator Rejects Seasonal Flu Shot Submission The US Food and Drug Administration refused to accept Moderna’s application to review its first mRNA seasonal flu vaccine. The company confirmed the decision on Tuesday. The refusal represents a major setback for mRNA vaccine development in the United States. Several officials in the Trump administration have recently criticized the technology. The FDA said the application lacked an adequate and well-controlled trial. The agency said the control group did not reflect the best available standard of care in the United States during the study. Moderna said regulators did not raise any safety or efficacy…

Doctors say a return to traditional Nepali food could help reverse the country’s rising type 2 diabetes rates. One in five Nepalis over 40 now lives with the condition, driven largely by western junk food. Many families cannot afford diabetes medication, and complications often cause severe disability or early death. Small studies in Kathmandu and nearby communities show promising results. A calorie-controlled diet based on lentils and rice helped about half of participants achieve remission within months. The approach relies on modest weight loss and strong community support rather than drugs. The research is led by University of Glasgow in…

Invoking the Fifth Amendment Ghislaine Maxwell, the convicted associate and former partner of Jeffrey Epstein, refused to answer questions from the US House Oversight Committee during a deposition on Monday. Appearing via video from a federal prison in Texas, where she is serving a 20-year sentence for sex trafficking, Maxwell repeatedly invoked her Fifth Amendment rights, declining to comment on her involvement or connections in Epstein’s network. Clemency Proposal Sparks Outrage Maxwell’s attorney, David Oscar Markus, revealed that she would be willing to testify fully if granted clemency by former President Donald Trump. Markus claimed that both Trump and former…

Discord will soon require users globally to verify their age before accessing adult content. Users must confirm their age with a face scan or upload an official ID. The platform says it has more than 200 million monthly users. The company says the new safety measures will place all users into a teen-appropriate environment by default. Discord already enforces age checks in the UK and Australia to comply with online safety laws. The platform will expand the system globally from early March. Savannah Badalich, Discord’s policy head, said teen safety remains a top priority. She added that teen-by-default settings strengthen…

Ships, Soot, and a Warming Arctic As global temperatures rise, previously frozen Arctic waters are opening new shipping routes, but this comes with a steep environmental cost. Black carbon, or soot, from ships settles on ice and snow, darkening surfaces and accelerating melting. “It ends up in a never-ending cycle of increased warming,” says Sian Prior, lead adviser for the Clean Arctic Alliance. The faster the ice melts, the more heat the Arctic absorbs, making it the fastest-warming region on Earth and influencing weather patterns worldwide. Cleaner Fuel Rules Face Political Hurdles To tackle the problem, France, Germany, Denmark, and…